Battery plate filling machine



Oct. 11, 1932. w. F. PRICE ETAL 1,882,300

I BATTERY PLATE FILLING 111101111111 2 sneets-sheet' 1 Filed July 17, 1930 Oct. 11, 1932.

w. F. PRICE ETAL 7 0 BATTERY PLATE FILLING CHINE Filed July 17, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 awe INVENTORS William/ 1. Price BY E1986)? storage battery cell grids,

Patented Oct. 11, 1932 umTEns'TA ss PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM PRICE, OF BALL, AND RUDOLPH 3.31503, UPPER DARBY, PENNSYLVANIA.

BATTERY PLATE mums momma Application filed July 17,

This invention relates to machines for filling the openings in a perforate plate with plastic material and more particularly to the machine being an improvement over applicants Patent 1,757,546 of May 6, 1930;

handle,

"plishes the work of filling the interstices of Such grid plates are usually lead cast ings presenting a multiple series of narrow;

elongated rectangular slots, the ribs constituting the partitions, being ofiset one from another and bevelled outwardly from the median plane of. the plate to its side surfaces, these openings being filled with a pasty composition of metallic salts. I

Such salts, derived principally from the metal lead, are extremely dangerous to their fine particles being absorbed and inhaled by persons with whom they are brought in contact, constituting an irritant poison. A It is therefore an object ofthe present invention to provide a machine that accomgrid plates mechanically, with substantially no hand labor, thereby avoiding the danger,

and at the same time loss of material by mass from both sides of the entering the paste directly into the openings without waste.

A further feature is in the provision of means for feeding the plastic, cement-like grid plate, co-

incidentally, whereby the oppositely applied portions are caused to coalesce as aunit becoming firmly locked, feeding taking place only at the grid openings and not at its frame or; solid portions.

Another aim is to produce a machine in which a double grid is filled at one operation, the paste being so compacted and compressed as to present a smooth even surface, level and flush with the solid parts of the grid, free from holes or other imperfections and which requires no hand finishing whatever.

' of Figure 8.

These and other meritorious features, as.

1930. Serial xo.'4es,e5o.

portion of this disclosure, an in which Figure l isla partial rear side elevational View of'an embodiment oijthe ventiom' Figure 2 is a transverse sec ional-view taken approximately on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 3 3 of Figure 2, drawn to an increased scale;

' Figure 4 is a perspective view of the apertured bed plate through which the paste is forced upwardly. i

' -'Figure 5 is aplan view of a double grid plate of the type filled by the machine.

Figure .6 is an enlarged partial sectional view of the grid; Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional. view of the grid cleaning evice, taken on line (-7 Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 88 of Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentarysectional view of the scraper and chain.

The bed of the machine, asshown, is com- I posed of a pair of spaced horizontal beams 10 supportedat a convenient height and havbetween them a platen 11 on which the lldS G are orw ard manually between guides 12.

A fiat bar 13extends across the platen, he'- ingadjustably secured at its ends to act as a limiting stop for grids of excessive thickness, normal grids passing below the bar to enter between a pair of corrugated feedpolls 1415, the former having its periphery substantially level with the up er 'sur ace of the platen, it being journalle in bearin 5 extending through the beams and posltively driven by. sprockets and chain connections with the motive power of the machine. The u per roll 15 is mounted in bearings adjustab e in a housing-16 and pressed downplaced, one by .one, andmdved by screws 18, to grip an entering grid, these rolls bein geared together to rotate in umson; pre erably the circumference of each roll is-equal to the length of a single grid so that at each revolutlon one gri is advanced into the machine.

As the grid is moved forwardly it passes over the surface of a fixed plate 20, level with the platen 11, and having. two narrow registering rectangular slots 21 correspond ing to the openings G1 on each side of a dou ble grid, the lengths of the slots being ar ranged to cover the openings G1 and avoid the fra'meportions G2G3 of the grids, preventing the paste material from making contact therewith. A rib 22, centrally of width ual to the grid frame center elements G2, whi e the plate at the ends of the slots covers the elements G3 and grid ears G4.

Disposed below the plate and extending outwardly through one of the beams 15 isa tubular housing closed.

An upright hopper 25 is open at its bottom to the ghousing23 and also 0 n at the top to receive the 1pasty mass use .in filling the interstices of t e grid plates.

Mounted in the housing 23 is a shaft 26 on which is fixed a helical conveyor having an 23, its opposite end 24 being outer portion 276i coarse pitch and an inner I portion 28 of a much finer pitch this finer portion extending directly under the slots 21.

Journalled in the hopper 25 is a spindle 29 havingset at various transverse angles therein a series of mixer arms 30 to stir the contents and assure that the same will enter the" coarse portion 27 of the conveyor.

he spindle 29 is driven by a pinion 31 on its outer extending end, andmeshed with the pinion is a spur gear 32 fixed on the outerend portion of the shaft 26, and outwardly beyond the gear is a sprocket 33 driven by a chain34 trained over a drivin sprocket 35 fixed on the main transverse sha 36,- mounted in bearings 37 below the beams.

On the upper side of the plate'20 is another hopper 38, open at the top and bottom, this hopper being held for height adjustment by side brackets 39 limitedl raised and lowered by nuts engaging stu s 40- set in the beams 15.

Rearwardly of the ho per 38 is. a rigid arched bracket 42 secured to the beams and having on its face a pair. of undercut guide ways 43 in which are adjustably mounted slides 44 having forwardly projecting lugs 4545 arranged as bearings for upright spindles 46, which extend into the hopper 38, one at each side.

The spindles are provided with adjustable limiting collars 47 resting on the lower the u per portion of the'spindles and exert? rust'pn collars 49 fixed thereon.

e s indles 46 are furnished with a plurality o radiall extending arms 50, operative within the opper to stir its contents,

of the spindles being in register with theslots 21 the sides of which-are bevelled divergently downwardly. 1

The length of the wipers 51 is such as to A clear the-walls of the hopper 38 and also 1 clear a central low partition bar 61, which is fixed in the hopper in register with the conjunctively to prevent the paste from bein dispensed-on the grid center G2from eit er side.

At the upper end of the spindles 56 are fixed bevel gears 52 meshed with mating gears '53 on the inner ends of horizontal shafts 54 carried in brackets 55 attached by pivoted hinges 56 to the main bracket 42 in such manner as to swing upward out of the way whenever it may be required to remove the slides rib 22 in the plate 20, these elements acting the plate 20, is of a 44- or spindles 46, asin cleaning, inspecting I or repairing the same.

. On the outer ends of the shafts are fixed sprockets 57 driven by chains, 58-trained around sprockets 59 fixed on the main shaft 36, and, due to the brackets being:l hinged, upon releasing bolts 60, clamping t ets .in fixed operative position, the upright spindles and associated parts are rendered readily accessible.

The right hand element 51 presses the paste against the forward ribs of the grid and the left hand element presses the paste against the rear ribs, and, due to the angularity of these elements and right and-left hand motion, the pasting is uniform, pre senting a smooth level surface.

Rearwardly of the pastin' devices are a pair ofshafts .65'66 journafied in brackets at the lower 7 ly in spaced relation, one of the shafts, as 65, having on its rear end, a sprocket 67 driven-by a chain 68 from some .convenient rotative part of the machine.

A pair of brackets 69-69, fixed on the,

gortions of the beams-'10 to I extend outwar e brackbeams 10, carry adjustable bearings in which are mounted another directly above the sha s'65-66. V

On-the' front end of the shaft 66 is a spur gear 72 meshed with a mating gear 73 revoluble on a stud 7 4 fixed in the adjacent beam iflair of shafts 70-71 and secured to the outer side of the gear is a sprocket 75 drivin a chain 76 trained overanother sprocket 77 fixed on the end of the shaft 71.

'Fixed on' the shafts 65-66, adjacent the inner sides of'the beams 10, are sprockets 78-79, over which-are trained chains 80;

' 9, and fixed on the angular faces of the are inner and outer plates 8687 having between themstrips 88 of thin sheet steel.

These wiper strips are thus carried at an approximate angle of forty-five degrees with the faces of the rids G passing therebetween as best seen in igure 7. The length of wiper strips is such as to pass freely between side bars 89 and the lower strip is cut away to avoid contact with a all of which appear in Figure 7.

center bar 89'.

It is to be noted that the wipers move in the same direction as the passing grids but at a very considerably increased speed, and

also that the wipers act on opposite sides of the grids simultaneously. 7

Means, as the adjustable blades 90, are provided to scrape one of the surfaces of the wipers, while a similar blade 91 removes any adherent debris from the opposite side as the chains are advanced. A like blade 92 is provided for the lower series of scrapers,

Finally, after the grids have passed onward beyond the scope of the scrapers, they are caused to pass between a pair of opposed, angularly positioned scraper blades, 9394 mounted on the track, these blades smoothing and levelling any irregularities what.

ever, the detritus dropping into a container 95 conveniently positioned to receive the same.

As changes of construction could be made within the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrated and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A battery grid pasting machine fordouble grids, comrising a horizontal platen, a pair of feed rol s to advance a grid there between over said platen, an adjustable bar to prevent the passage of an abnormally thick grid, a plate set in said platen having two narrow openings corresponding in length to the-length of the apertured portions of the double grid, two independent paste hoppers, means associated with one of said.

hoppers for feeding paste upwardly through the' openings in said plate, and adjustable means combined with the other hopper to smooth the paste entered therefrom on the upper side of said grid. v

2. A battery grid pastingmachine-for d011,

ble glide, comprising a horizontal platen inclu verse re 'stering slots, each slot being equal in lengt to the apertured portions of the double id, means for advancing the grids ,over said plate, vmeans for'partially filling g aplate having two narrow transthe grid apertures through said slots from the under side of said plate, stirring means above said plate to complete the filling of the grid apertures, and means for smoothing the upper surface of the grid while assing over a levelunbroken portion of sai plate.

3. A battery grid pasting machine for double grids, comprising a horizontal platen, a'pair of feed rolls to advance a grid therealong, adjustable means to prevent the passage of an abnormally thick grid, a plate set in said platen having two narrow openings corresponding in length to the length of the apertured portions of the double grid, two independent paste hoppers, a tubular casing extending below and in communication with one of said hoppers, a screw conveyor rotatable in said casing to deliver paste upwardly through said opening to partially fill the grid interstices, means in the other hopper to completely fill the grids, a longitudinal rib at .the bottom of the hopper in register with the connection between the portions of the grid to prevent depositing paste on'the connection,.and rotatable means in said hopper to finish the surface of the grids, said finishing means being positioned on the axis of the under feeding means. i

4. A battery' grid pasting machine for double grids, comprising a horizontal platen, a pair of feed rolls to advance a grid thereon, adjustable bar means to prevent the passage ofan abnormally thick grid, a plate set in said platen having two narrow openin corresponding in length to the lengthof the apertured portions of the double grid, two independent paste hoppers, atubular casing extending below and in communication with one of said hoppers, a screw conveyor rotatable 1n said: casing to deliver paste upwardly through said openings to partially fill the grid interstices, said screw conveyor having a variant pitch progressively finer towards its discharge end, rotary means in the other hopper to compact and smooth the aste fed therefrom to the upper surface 0 the girds, resilient means for pressing said rotary smoothing means downwardly, and means for adjusting said resilient means.

7 5. A battery grid pasting machine for double grids, comprising a horizontal platen having a pair of registering transverse slots substantially equal in length 'to the zone of openings in the double grid and of a width commensurate to the width ofthe openings,

a. ste hopper at the side of the machine, a. he ical conveyor of progressively increasing pitch to force paste from said hopper into said slots to partially fill the opening in the grids as passed thereover, a' second hopper over the pathof the grids to finish filling the openin s therein, a 'pair of upright spindles 'rotatab lei-n the second hopper, and means on I portions of the grid.

the lower extremities of said spindles to press and smooth the paste level' with the solid 6. In a grid filling machine having ahori zontal platen, a paste hopper adjustable.

thereover, a pair of upright spindles extending mto said hopper, means for filling paste into gridspassin over said platen from the tesatod.

tolthe movement'thereof, inner andouter signatures? WILLIAM F. PRICE. RUDOLPH H. BECK.

under side thereo other means on said spina dles to com lete the filling operation from the upper side of the grids, gear drives for said spindles, and brackets hinged on oppo-.

sitesides of the machine carrying said drives permitting them to be swung into and out of operative position allowing the'spindles and parts therein to be removed intact. 7. In a grid filling machine having a horizontal platen, independent paste hoppers at 5 I of which are smoothed by contact with the the side and above said platen respectively, a helical conveyor of progressively increasing pitch to force paste from the side hopper into the grids when moving over said platen in advance of theother hopper, said last named hopper being located over the platen in register with the under filling means, and

'rotative paired elements in the last named hopper to compact paste fed therefrom, causlow, said paired elements smoothing the upperv surfaces of the grids, the lower surfaces ing coalescence with the paste fed from bp- 'levelsurfaee of the platen over which they i passv 8. In a grid filling machine having a platen at the-front and a track-way at the rear, means for advancing-a double grid over the I platen and track-way, means for filling the interstices of the grids from both sides while passing'over-said plat'en, "a pair of spaced endless conveyor chains movable'below said track-way, tr1angular bars connectin between said chains their oblique faces ein directed rearwardly to the movement thereo inner and outer clamp .plates on the oblique faces of said bars, and flat spring brush plates fixed between said clamp plates to contact the under surface of the grids when moving over the track-way, said chains travelling at a higher rate of speed fthanthe' grids.

9. .1 In a grid filling machine having a I platen at the front and a track-way at the rear, means for advancing ad'ouble grid over the platen and track-way, means for filling the interstices of the grids from both sides a whilepas'si'ng. over said platen, a. pair of .spacedendless conveyor chains movable below said track-way; a second pair of similar chams movable above said track -way, triani gular bars connecting between each pair of said chains at spaced intervals 1 therealong their oblique, faces being rearwardly' 

